“By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all His work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done.”
-Genesis 2:2-3
This passage is one of those that I’ve read many, many times in my life, but it wasn’t until recently that it gained new meaning for me. I grew up reading and hearing about the creation story and I learned very quickly that God rested on the seventh day, but I never really thought about what that means. The Creator of the Universe took an entire day to just rest. God, who is all-powerful and never needs to sleep and never lets a single tiny detail escape His notice, took the time to rest for a whole day. He didn’t rest because He was tired or worn out or had done too much work; He’s God and doesn’t need to rest no matter how much work He does. God rested to set an example for us.
Humans really struggle to obey God’s commands. God didn’t create the concept of the Sabbath and the call to rest because He was bored and wanted to add a seventh day to the week. God wants us to take time to rest because we can’t be our best when we’re running on empty. We need rest. It’s not something that’s optional or a good idea in certain circumstances. If we don’t take the time to pause and recharge, we’ll eventually crash and burn. If we don’t get rest, we’ll fall apart, but for some reason, taking the time to rest is often one of the hardest things for us to do.
I definitely struggle to get the rest I need on a regular basis. I always feel like resting is a waste of time especially when I have a to-do list that’s several miles long. This summer has really highlighted how I never slow down and allow myself to recharge. I’ve been feeling so behind when it comes to getting ready for my trip and a bit overwhelmed with all the things that need to get done before I leave. The past few days I’ve found myself trying to push through my exhaustion and feeling guilty when I accidently take a nap. I was getting very angry with myself for not being as productive as I could be, when God reminded me that rest is just as important as work.
Rest doesn’t always look the same in every situation. Sometimes it quite literally means getting some extra sleep. Sometimes it means spending more time with God or taking time for yourself to do something you enjoy. Sometimes it means going outside and soaking in nature or playing music. Rest can look very different depending on the person or the season of life, but it always involves being still (Psalm 46:10). This week, I want to intentionally make time to rest and I hope you do the same.
Rest is also making dinner with friends and playing games and drinking wine ??
Love this! I too suck at resting! Such a great point! I have really enjoyed reading your posts! Miss you a bunch, junctions not the same without you!
Thank you! It’s so encouraging to hear that I’m not the only who struggles with this. I miss you and GJ so so much!
Of course! That’s the ultimate form of rest!
It’s taken many years to get my attitude and thoughts straight about taking time to rest. Like you, I always have a to-do list 2 miles long at any given moment. The subconscious mindset I’ve had most of my life is ‘I can rest when I get it all done’. But the truth is, that ‘it’s NEVER all done. So consciously choosing to take one rest day a week actually gives me what I’ve longed for – permission to rest, to enjoy life, to enjoy time with My Creator, to appreciate His creation and the people He put in my life. The second thing I’ve learned is that taking a rest day is an INCREDIBLE blessing! I have finally realized that I get a vacation day once a week! God rested on the 7th day of creation. Adam was created on the 6th day, so his first day of life was a rest day! How many people do you know that have the luxury of having a vacation day once a week?